Soft Pretzels
National Pretzel Day is today! In 2003 then Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell proclaimed April 26 to be National Pretzel Day because the snack is an important source of revenue to the state. According to one source, Philadelphians eat twelve times the national average for pretzels!
Richter Scale Day honors the birth of Charles Francis Richter. Born in 1900 near Hamilton, Ohio, Richter developed the scale named after him that measures earthquake magnitude. He died in Pasadena, California, on September 30, 1985. Idea: The Richter Scale registers from one to nine, with nine being the highest. However, each number is ten times stronger than the one before it. For example, an earthquake measuring five is ten times stronger than one measuring four. Students could calculate how much stronger an earthquake of nine is compared to an earthquake of one. They could also make a chart of famous earthquakes and their number on the Richter Scale. Children could learn more at: Earthquakes.
Flag of Tanzania
Tanzania celebrates Union Day, a national holiday. In 1964 Tanganyika and Zanzibar united into one country, Tanzania. According to the CIA World Factbook, Tanzania is about twice the size of California. Bordering the Indian Ocean, the country experiences a tropical climate. Mount Kilimanjaro brings tourists and mountain climbers to the country. It counts on mining gold, diamonds, and iron ore. About 48 million people live in the country, and Dar Es Salaam is the capital. Children could learn more at: Tanzania.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum opened in 1993. Older children can learn more at: http://www.ushmm.org/museum/exhibit/exhibit/.